Studying the saints that narcos pray to

Law officers get lesson on which icons mean what.

Published 12:00 am, Wednesday, December 15, 2010

A statue of Jésus Malverde, known as the patron saint of narco traffickers, was part of a presentation on the drug underworld for law enforcement held at St. Mary’s University.

A statue of Jésus Malverde, known as the patron saint of narco traffickers, was part of a presentation on the drug underworld for law enforcement held at St. Mary’s University.

Photo: John Davenport/Express-News

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A large Santa Muerte, or holy death, was part of a presentation on the drug underworld for law enforcement held at St. Mary’s University.

A large Santa Muerte, or holy death, was part of a presentation on the drug underworld for law enforcement held at St. Mary’s University.

Photo: John Davenport/Express-News

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Robert Almonte: U.S. marshal teaches about drug culture.

Robert Almonte: U.S. marshal teaches about drug culture.

Photo: John Davenport/Express-News

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Chris Lopez (standing, left), chief investigator with the Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office, looks at a presentation of the patron saints of the Mexican drug underwold at St. Mary's University.

Chris Lopez (standing, left), chief investigator with the Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office, looks at a presentation of the patron saints of the Mexican drug underwold at St. Mary's University.

Photo: John Davenport/Express-News

Studying the saints that narcos pray to

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Two days after the Virgin of Guadalupe's feast day, dozens of area law officers gathered in San Antonio on Tuesday to soak in intelligence about nefarious icons.

They have names like Jesús Malverde and Santa Muerte, or holy death, and San Simón, Guatemala's “man in black” and the patron saint of childbirth and secrets.

They stand in contrast to more traditional images venerated in Mexico, like the Santo Niño de Atocha, a Christ child statuette credited with miracles, and St. Jude. But the drug underworld uses these, too, albeit for different purposes — protection from the law or to justify violent acts, said Robert Almonte, U.S. marshal for the Western District of Texas.

Almonte said some criminals even offer human victims as sacrifices to Santa Muerte, the unofficial patron saint of drug traffickers who looks sort of like the Grim Reaper, creepy and skeletal.

In South Texas, a hit squad leader for the Zetas drug cartel, Gabriel Cardona Ramirez, was accused by prosecutors of draining the blood of a victim to offer a toast to Santa Muerte, according to news reports.

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Statues, cards, amulets, and altars recovered during investigations lined three tables in a large classroom at St. Mary's University School of Law on Tuesday. A large statue of Santa Muerte towered above the other items, with candy and other offerings at its feet.

Almonte said he explains to officers the difference between legitimate or traditional saints and those that are fictitious or emerged from folk-hero followings — and that some people have an innocent interest in them.

The images are being found in criminal investigations around the United States, not just the border with Mexico, and “can serve as red-flag indicators,” Almonte said. “It could result in probable cause for further investigation of possible drug activity.”

The sessions are graphic, with attendees exposed to videos and photos of violence associated with recovered relics, some taken by the cartels, some from media reports or crime scene footage taken by police.

Three people fainted at a similar session in Austin last week, Tom Smith, a Marshals Service spokesman, told the 275 attendees in San Antonio.

John Murphy, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, said the information is important in U.S. law enforcement efforts to contain Mexico's cartel violence.

“It might seem laughable that someone would have these idols,” Murphy said. “It's remarkable, but true. There's always an advantage about knowing about this.”